No Eyed Jerry is Battling FIP

Jerry has been hospitalized with FIP since June 6, 2022. FIP was a previously incurable and almost always fatal disease that now has a trial anti-viral drug that shows amazing promise and success in permanently curing FIP. We started him on this drug June 6th and he has made very significant strides of improvement, showing in his bloodwork, demeanor, and overall energy levels. Jerry is currently receiving excellent care from VCA California Veterinary Specialists in Carlsbad, CA but the costs are exorbitant.

 

It's clear that Jerry hasn't had a fair chance at life. Losing his eyes at 8 weeks old due to severe infection, he's battled upper respiratory infections, resistant face infections resulting in a CT scan in November 2021, and most recently a major oral surgery in April 2022. This recent diagnosis of FIP is a set-back, but it's nothing we feel like Jerry's fighting spirit cannot overcome. Research studies show that using these GS-441524 drugs have excellent long term success rates, and we are confident that once he is over this hurdle he will have better quality of life than ever before. That said, health problems have never stopped Jerry from living his best and full life with a big heart. He is the sweetest, most affectionate, smartest cat our family and friends have ever met.

 

Walking into our house, you'll first be greeted by 2 rescue dogs and shortly after a black & white no eyed cat named Jerry. Following behind Jerry, you will see no eyed cat Lola and finally Jerry's shy one eyed littermate, Jax. We have 3 cats with one eye between them and we wouldn't have it any other way. We have fostered a significant number of cats & kittens from different organizations across California, in addition to fostering dogs from high-kill shelters in LA. We have a house and lifestyle tailored to rescue animals and we don't plan on ever having it any other way.

 

Jerry's favorite activities include drinking water out of the sink, snuggling under the covers, sitting in front of the heater (even in 90 degree weather!) and being front and center for all the action. He somersaults in the kitchen, meows when you open the fridge, and will eagerly chase and successfully catch flies. He doesn't have eyes but he is fearless, determined, and always knows where you are.

Jerry has a lot of positive things to come home to - 4 furry best friends, 2 parents that work from home and give him constant attention and care, smoked salmon and venison food (his favorite!), and a house full of his favorite toys and hammock to sleep in.

 

The finances are the biggest hurdle to get over because Jerry needs time to stabilize in the hospital in addition to the extremely expensive life-saving medication (GS-441524) he is currently receiving and will need for approx. 100 days. The medication is expensive because it is not readily available in the United States, and the estimated cost of this alone is approx. $5,000. While on this medication, he will need regular bloodwork & exams to ensure he is receiving the correct dose and is trending the right way.

Finances aside, we are very confident that we can get Jerry home living his best life, better than it was before with this new diagnosis and medication plan. He is only 5 years old and we expect at least 10 more years with him. He is fighting and we can tell he is not ready to succumb to his infection, and it is only right to support him in this battle. We have an amazing support team through FIP Warriors, knowledgeable doctors through VCA, and a network of top veterinary professionals all over California that are cheering & closely monitoring Jerry. When we adopted Jerry in 2017 we made a promise that we would take every action to do right by him and make every decision in good faith with his best interest in mind.

Please reach out directly to see his current hospital stay itemized bill, medication/treatment plan, bloodwork, or any other questions you have. His bill for the hospital is over $15,000 and the medication for the next 100 days is approx $50 each day. We had a lofty emergency fund for our pets which is now drained in addition to CareCredit maxed out. Our family cannot tell you how much we appreciate your love and support. You can find us actively on our Instagram @noeyedcatclub . You can also call VCA Carlsbad directly to donate to his care under “Jerry Cherrier” (760) [phone redacted]